International horse racing is the pinnacle of our sport and this weekend some of the best horses in the world will compete in Australia, South Africa, Japan and Hong Kong.
Ahead of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) from Chukyo Racecourse in Japan and Sha Tin’s feature double-header – the G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) and G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) featuring Group 1 winners KA YING RISING, BEAUTY ETERNAL and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE at Sha Tin – on Sunday (30 March), Flemington and Turffontein will host a string of outstanding races on Saturday (29 March).
Unfortunately, overnight rain in Sydney has caused the postponement of the G1 Tancred Stakes meeting at Rosehill today.
Our World Pool coverage starts at Flemington with the first of three races from 12.05pm. The G1 Australian Cup is carded as S1-3 and will be run over 2000m at 1.15pm.
The pace is always good when PRIDE OF JENNI (Craig Newitt) is engaged and she will lead from gate one. DENY KNOWLEDGE (Craig Williams) also likes to run from the front and she will trail PRIDE OF JENNI. SHAIYHAR (Daniel Moor) and FEROCE (Billy Egan) will both be prominent.
MIDDLE EARTH (Mark Zahra) is a high-class import from Great Britain and won on his Australian debut for trainer Ciaron Maher over this course and distance on 8 March, running home strongly to score. MIDDLE EARTH is likely to be improved by that outing and is a win and place chance.
PRIDE OF JENNI easily held off her rivals when resuming in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on 15 March. She should be in front for a long away again here and is a place chance, along with ATISHU (Blake Shinn), ZARDOZI (Jamie Melham), DENY KNOWLEDGE and FEROCE.
Following the Flemington meeting, focus then switches to South Africa and Turffontein Racecourse for the first of six races, starting with the G1 Empress Club Stakes, which is carded as S3-1 and is run over 1600m at 8.25pm.
FATAL FLAW (Gavin Lerena) is trained by Brett Crawford, who joins Hong Kong’s training roster next season. FATAL FLAW won the Cape Fillies Guineas in December and last start was fifth to RASCOVA in the G1 Majorca Stakes on 25 January. FATAL FLAW can lead from her outside draw and she is win and place chance.
SPUMANTE DOLCE (Raymond Danielson) won her first three starts, including the G2 Gauteng Guineas on 1 February, beating VJ’S ANGEL. SPUMANTE DOLCE was then behind unplaced to FIERY PEGASUS in the Fillies Classic when she returned with mucus in her trachea. She can improve on that run and is also a win and place chance.
VJ’S ANGEL (Calvin Habib) is racing consistently and, after being narrowly beaten by SPUMANTE DOLCE in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, ran fourth to FIERY PEGASUS. VJ’S ANGEL is a place chance, along with WHITE PEARL (Pierre Strydom).
The G1 Computaform Sprint is carded as S3-2 and is run over 1000m on the straight course at 9pm.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON (Ryan Munger) ran second in this race two years ago and has won three of his past four starts. Most recently, he stalked the speed over this course and distance and came away for an easy win over GOLDEN SICKLE on 1 March. He is a win and place chance.
GOLDEN SICKLE (Gavin Lerena) has plenty of speed and from her middle gate will be in contention for a long way as a place chance, along with LUCKY LAD (Richard Fourie), CRUISE CONTROL (Craig Zackey) and PISTOL PETE (Calvin Habib).
The G1 HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge is carded as S3-3 and is run over 2000m at 9.35pm.
PURPLE PITCHER (Kabelo Matsunyane) was South Africa’s top three-year-old last season, winning the SA Derby. He was second to ATTICUS FINCH in the Summer Cup over this course and distance in November and was also second to SON OF RAJ in the G3 London News Stakes (1800m) two starts back. He is a win and place chance.
ATTICUS FINCH (Calvin Habib) comes back to his favourite track for this and will improve dramatically for Calvin Habib and is a place chance.
ROYAL VICTORY (Muzi Yeni) won this race last year before running third in the Durban July. He raced without luck in the Summer Cup when sixth to ATTICUS FINCH but meets the winner better at the weights and is also a place chance along with FIRE ATTACK (Richard Fourie).
The G1 SA Derby is carded as S3-4 and will be run over 2450m at 10.15pm.
IMMEDIATE EDGE (Ryan Munger) has won all three starts including last start when he won a Listed race over 2000m, narrowly from WILD INTENT. IMMEDIATE EDGE looks very talented and is a win and place chance.
LEGEND OF ARTHUR (Richard Fourie) was fourth in the Gauteng Guineas behind PARISIAN WALKWAY and then came from well back in the SA Classic to finish third to CONFEDERATE, recording the fastest closing sectionals in the race. LEGEND OF ARTHUR is out of a GALILEO mare and gives the impression he will be suited by the extra trip. He is also a win and place chance.
WILD INTENT (Gavin Lerena) meets IMMEDIATE EDGE better at the weights for that narrow defeat and gives the impression he will stay the trip and is a place chance.
PARISIAN WALKWAY (Calvin Habib) won the Gauteng Guineas (1600m) two starts ago and then finished fifth to CONFEDERATE in the SA Classic (1800m) on rain-affected ground, PARISIAN WALKWAY is drawn to get a perfect run and is also a place chance.
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